The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1887-06-09
THE ELEPHANT DRIVE.
An Interesting Story OF Adventure in India.

Mr.. G. Sanderson, the superintend-
ent OF the government Kheddahs at
Dacca, made an unprecedented cap.
ture OF elephants in Caro- Hills. The
details OF this exploit are described
by Mr.. Sanderson himself:
'"The 14th we began to drive in the
forenoon. The elephants were, con-
trary to our expectation and to their
habits hitherto, all together in one
large gathering. To arrive at the
stockade they had first to reach a
small, level plateau on the top OF a
hill, from which they were to be de-
hected to their left down slope, at
the foot OF which was the stockade,
we'll screened in the Jungle. The two
guiding palisades or wings, con-
verging to the gates OF the
stockade, were run up the hillside
the distance OF some two hundred
yards at fifty yards apart
Three fire lines were made through the
jungle across the space between the
guiding palisades, one joining them at
their extreme ends. one-half way down
and one about 60 yards from the gate.
On these lines dry grass was stacked
in bundles and hidden by green leaves,
ready to be fired when the elephant
had crossed the paths. The drive was
we'll managed. the herd being kept to-
gether and not overdriven, which often
causes a herd to break up into small
parties. The moment the last had
crossed the fire line the spies sounded
their rattles, and as if by magic Ihad
not spared a few dozen match boxes
among the mem, q cracking line OF
flame extended along the hillside. join.
ing the extreme ends of the palisades
and cutting off retreat. Immediately
the hitherto comparative silence of the
drive was broken by yelling and blank
firing from all sides, and the elephants
hurried forward in a crowd, no longer
following any leader, but each striv-
ing not to be last. They soon crossed
the second tire-line, and at O. signal
from a log-horn-barely audible in the
din of elephants and men-active fel-
lows raced forward from both ends
with torches, and in few seconds
this line also was q wall of fire.
1.-The third line was similarly fired
when the herd had passed, and now
the fun waxed fast and furious. Some
of the elephants went into the stock
ade at once, but q huge male with the
right tusk only (such elephants are
called Gunesh and certain castles OF
Hindoos reverence them) took up his
position in the gateway, which was
only eleven feet wide, and no elephant
could pass him. The scene how was ex-
traordinary, and Colonel and Mrs. Gra-
ham Smith, from a platform in q tree
near, had an excellent view OF it. The
space between the converging palisades
was tightly packed by O. struggling
mass of elephants for many yards
from the gate. Every vestage OF jungle
had disappeared, and the men were
skirmishing with blank cartridges and
torches OF blazing grass up to within
twenty yards or less of the elephants,
and q shower of sticks and clods was
kept over the palisades by those out
side. The roaring of the youngsters
of the herd, which were being trampled
and squeezed, combined with the noise
of rattles, guns and OF the fire consum-
ing the jungle between the palisades in
the direction whence the elephants had
come, made it impossible to make
ones self heard by any one, even at
ones elbow. fired several charges OF
shot into the rearmost of the ele-
phants, though really l thought
them little to blame for not
moving on it was not for
want OF will or pushing, as the angle
OF their hind legs as they bored des-
perateIy into the mass before them
mutely testified. At last the opposi.
tion gave way; the gunesh and others
which were stopping the way were
the pressure behind, and the ANIMALS
in the rear made renewed exertions
to get away from the terrible sights
and sounds so close behind them.
"When / saw the elephants strug-
Cling before the gate, l never believed
that so many 1876 as it turned out)
could by any possibility get into a
stockade 215 feet in circumference.
The area was even less than that OF
O. circle OF similar circumference, as
our stockades have 13 straight sides
OF / 5 feet each, and the gate side 20
feet. We never expected our urstockades
would hold over 100 elephants;
65 was the greatest number we had
ever impounded before, though ]
must say they had plenty of room
when the resistance was overcome
and the final struggle to get into the
stockade began. The thing seemed
impossible after seeing the elephants
half covering hillside or trooping
along in single file. One wave to the
man who stood over the gate rope
with his axe and the ponderous gate
came down on to the backs of the last
few elephants, and as they struggled
from under and it fell into position it
was quickly lashed by many willing
hands.
Immediately everybody went to
work to strengthen the stockade
1t was never really in danger. but
we made assurance doubly sure.
A supplemental stockade was
at once commenced by barricad.
ing off twenty yards of the space be
tween the guiding palisades outside
the gate. The elephants were pound
ed at l P. NJ, but it was not until
$50 P. NJ. that all was ready. We then
hauled up the gate and relieved them
from the back hole-like confinement ol
the stockade by. admitting them into
the new one. 1t was filled at once,
but really the crowd in the first stock
ade hardly seemed decreased. Early
next morning we shut off some 35
elephants in the supplemental
stockade by closing the gate, and the
tame elephants were then admitted,
and by evening we had secured
this lot and removed and tied
them up in the forest
near. At night the gate between the
stoskades was again raised to give the
remainder room, and wild plaintair
trees and other succulent, cooling fod
der were supplied to them. But next
morniuo wo ho1 HOLLYWOOD ont twr